Product Description

A guided tour through the ins and outs of telecommuting covers basics of setting up a home office and includes a discussion of ""virtual corporations""--groups of professionals who band together and telecommute to even out the workload. (All Users).

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2492144 in Books
• Published on: 1995-07-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

Amazon.com Review
Are you working from a home computer right now? Would you prefer to work from home? If so, consider getting The Underground Guide to Telecommuting, one of the livelier and more irreverent guides to telecommuting. I've telecommuted on-and-off since 1989, so I can honestly say that Leonard discusses most of the important bases: setting up a good workspace, establishing reliable telecommunications, and, most importantly, dealing with zoning boards, the postal service, bosses, your neighbors, and even the IRS.

As an interesting aside, I was struck by the playful, and conversational writing style of this book. I have often noted that people's writing changes when working from home - in part because of the greater freedom, sleep deprivation from enjoying working too much -- and not having anyone to talk to!

From the Back Cover
WARNING: Telecommuting is a potentially dangerous activity and should be performed only by trained professionals. Do not try this at home--at least, not without the expert advice of the Underground Guide!

There's no place like home. Especially when your boss, your kid, and the neighbor's dog are all barking for your attention simultaneously. Working away from a corporate office, whether as a salaried employee, independent contractor, consultant, or freelancer, presents great (often unexpected) challenges and offers even greater rewards. Woody Leonhard takes on the toughest aspects of telecommuting and gives you the straight scoop on how to make it work for you. Whether you're a telecommuter, a telecommuter's boss, or just curious, The Underground Guide to Telecommuting will give you the tools and information to turn electricity and a phone line into major productivity.

* Set up your office right the first time, even if your budget bears more resemblance to your kid's allowance than to the boss's expense account. Woody offers no-nonsense advice on what hardware and software to buy, what hot new technology will pay for itself, and which gizmos are a waste of your time and money.
* Make the best use of e-mail and the Internet, and then decipher the alphabet soup of telecommunications--find out the difference between ISDN, ATM, and ESPN, and what's best for you (especially if you're not a hockey fan).
* Get valuable and occasionally devious tips on how to stay on the good side of the zoning board, the postal service, the IRS, and, most importantly, your neighbors.
* Learn about the hottest trend in telecommuting, the "virtual corporation"--groups of professionals who band together electronically for one project or several to complement each others' strengths and even out the work load.
Every page has something you can use immediately. This book is packed wall to wall with practical advice, warnings, tips, and the kind of nitty-gritty explanations that could only come from someone who's been there-all day, every day.

Series Editor Woody Leonhard and Addison-Wesley are proud to bring you the Underground Guides--fun books for serious computer users.

About the Author
A noted authority on Microsoft Windows, Woody Leonhard is a contributing editor at PC Computing and publisher of the infamous electronic newsletter Woody's Office Watch. Woody has written or co-written more than a dozen books on Windows and Microsoft Office, including The Hacker's Guide to Word for Windows, PC MOM: The Mother of All PC Books, and The Mother of All Windows 95 Books.

Customer Reviews

Woody's Leading the Pack - Outa Town!
The 1st tellecumiting guide, the ONLY one from an author running a giga-business from home... In his signature toungue-in-cheek practical style, Woody Leonard lays out the benefits & pitfals of telecommuting. His true experiences alone are worth the price - Mr. Leonard runs this business and successful web-site, (...), from his home. I'm following his advice as I set up my in-home consulting - so my opinion is also based on practical experience. The book is a bit dated in its recommendations for equipment, but the principals hold true! I found the book by asking a professional e-mail list for recommendations - 100% of the 20+ responses recommended this book, and I recommend it without reservstion - 100%!!